COUNSEL IN THE FEED LOT 527 



but are in reality relatively simple and easily understood. Therefore, 

 practically anyone who likes live stock and is willing to give intelligent 

 attention to the necessary details in animal husbandry can succeed. 



Experience counts for much in stock feeding. Many an experienced 

 stockman can carry steers thru the fattening period without getting 

 them once "off feed," but yet can not Well describe to others just why 

 he is so successful. In general, when steers are to be full fed on grain, 

 they should be supplied all they will readily consume at each feeding, 

 after they have been gradually brought onto feed. Any feed left in the 

 feed bunk or manger should be cleaned out before the next feeding, for 

 it will not usually be eaten by the cattle afterwards, but it will spoil 

 and contaminate the fresh feed put in later. 



Many experienced feeders follow the rule, "Keep the feed always a 

 little better than the cattle." As has been shown (735), this means that 

 the preparation of the feed is increased as the fattening progresses. 

 Likewise as the animal advances in flesh there is greater benefit from 

 adding a nitrogenous concentrate, such as cottonseed or linseed meal, to 

 a ration which is already fairly well balanced. 



Scouring, the bane of the stock feeder, should be carefully avoided, 

 since a single day's laxness may cut off a week's gain. This trouble is 

 generally brought on by over-feeding, by unwholesome food, or by a 

 faulty ration. Over-feeding comes from a desire of the attendant to 

 push his cattle to better gains, or from carelessness and irregularity in 

 measuring out the feed supply. The ideal stockman has a quick discern- 

 ment which takes in every animal in the feed lot at a glance, and a quiet 

 judgment which guides the hand in dealing out feed ample for the wants 

 of all, but not a pound excess. 



The droppings of the steers are an excellent index of the progress 

 of fattening. While they should never be hard, they should still be 

 thick enough to "pile up" and have that unctuous appearance which 

 indicates a healthy action of the liver. There is an odor from the 

 droppings of thrifty, well-fed steers known and quickly recognized 

 by every good feeder. Thin droppings and those with a sour smell 

 indicate something wtong in the feed yard. The conduct of the steer 

 is a further guide in marking the progress of fattening. The manner 

 in which he approaches the feed box; his quiet pose while ruminating 

 and audible breathing when lying down, showing the lungs cramped by 

 the well-filled paunch ; the quiet eye which stands full from the fattening 

 socket ; the oily coat, all are points that awaken the interest, admiration, 

 and satisfaction of the successful feeder. 



II. METHODS OP BEEF PRODUCTION 



812. Fattening cattle on pasture Whether it will be most profitable 

 to fatten cattle during the winter and spring in the dry lot or to fatten 

 them in summer on pasture will depend, first of all, on the relative cost 



